Send message to Author

Paper short abstract

We draw on survey data to assess public evaluations of the current electoral system and potential alternatives. It examines which features are considered effective or problematic, which reforms they support, and how these preferences relate to broader concerns about democratic representation.

Paper long abstract

Electoral systems shape how voters engage with representatives and how responsive governments are to public preferences. Japan adopted a mixed-member majoritarian (MMM) rule for lower house elections in 1994, aiming to promote policy-based competition and a stable two-bloc party system. These goals have not been fully realized. The Liberal Democratic Party remains dominant, opposition parties are fragmented, and political scandals continue to undermine public trust. These outcomes have renewed calls for reform, including proposals to return to the previous multi-member district single non-transferable vote rule. However, it is unclear whether dissatisfaction reflects flaws in the MMM rule itself or other electoral system features such as malapportionment, restrictive campaign rules, and opaque political finance. This paper draws on original survey data to assess how the Japanese public evaluates the current electoral system and potential alternatives. It examines which features voters see as effective or problematic, what types of reform they support, and how these preferences relate to broader concerns about representation, party competition, and democratic legitimacy. By anchoring debates about electoral reform in public opinion, the paper sheds light on the conditions under which citizens support changes to the electoral rules that structure democratic governance.